Program Policies and Guidelines

Transfer Credit

For many students, Fuller is not the first or only institution from which they have earned or plan to earn master's-level units. MDiv, MAT, MATM, and MAICS students may receive transfer credit toward their program in accordance with the following procedures and limitations:

Fuller accepts graduate-level theological coursework from accredited schools (Association of Theological Schools [ATS], the Association of Biblical Higher Education [ABHE], and regional accrediting bodies within CHEA such as WASC or MSCHE) that is graded and received grades of a B- or higher.

Units cannot be older than 10 years at the time of graduation from Fuller.

For a class to transfer as a core class, the course must be equivalent to the Fuller class in content, number of units, and prerequisites. Courses not meeting these criteria will be considered electives.

To receive a Fuller degree, we cannot receive more than one-half (50%) of the units from a previously awarded degree.

Unaccredited, undergraduate, non-theological classes, classes not taken for a grade, or classes receiving grades of less than B- will not be considered.

The maximum amount of units allowed to be transferred into a degree are as follows:

Degree Maximum Transfer Credits*

MDiv 2/3 of degree (80 units)

MAT 2/3 of degree (52 units)

MATM 2/3 of degree (52 units)

MAICS 2/3 of degree (52 units)

* The actual number of units of a student's transfer credit may significantly vary from the maximum allowed based on the total units to be transferred, availability in the curriculum, and any apprenticeship requirements needed.

Transfer Credit Process

Step 1

To request a formal transfer credit evaluation, please contact the Office of Call Discernment at vocation@fuller.edu. You will receive detailed instructions about next steps within 1 to 3 business days.

Step 2

Have the institution where you took and/or are taking classes send an official copy of your transcripts* directly to Fuller Seminary.

Step 4

Select Your Curriculum

Your curriculum is determined by the quarter and year you matriculate, change, or reinstate into your current degree program. If your degree is not posted here or if you are not sure which curriculum year you are in, please contact the Office of Call Discernment at vocation@fuller.edu. All posted curriculum sheets are for the current catalog year.

Degree Program Time Limits

It is not always easy to balance earning a degree with everything else going on in life. Students at Fuller can take a break and come back at any point as long as they have taken a course within one year (four academic quarters). The student’s status is considered inactive after four consecutive quarters of non-enrollment. Should the student desire to take more classes at Fuller, he or she must go through the re-admissions process as outlined here.

Ultimate Program and Certificate Deadlines

Master’s-level degree program students in the Schools of Theology and Intercultural Studies must complete their degree within a span of 10 years. For example, students who started their program in Fall 2016 must complete their degree by Summer 2026. Certificate students are allotted 7 years. If students surpass their deadline, the oldest courses begin to expire. All transfer credit is included in this ultimate program deadline.

Residency, Non-Residency, and Online Limits

Campus Residency Requirements

Residency refers to the number of units that must be taken on a Fuller campus. The following are the details regarding residency units required for each degree program, available campuses, online limits, and courses excluded as residency.

Degree Program

Residency Required

Available Campuses

MDiv

32 units

Any Campus

MAT

24 units

Any Campus

MATM

24 units

Any Campus

MAICS

24 units

Any Campus

Fuller campuses: Pasadena, Arizona, Bay Area, Colorado Springs, Houston, Orange County, Sacramento, and Seattle. Please note that certain international students can only take courses in Pasadena for residency. For further information, please contact the International Services Office at 626-584-5396 or at iso@fuller.edu.

Courses Excluded from Residency

Types of courses that do not satisfy residency requirements:

Online courses (Distributed Learning)

Hybrid courses (except for Hybrid+ or when labeled as counting for residency)

Directed studies

Conference courses (unless indicated otherwise on the web schedule)

Internships or practica (apprenticeship/practicum)

Immersion courses (e.g., Lebanon, Orvieto, New York City)

Transfer credit

Online Limits

Distributed Learning refers to Fuller’s online courses. There are limits to the number of online courses that can be taken for the following programs:

Degree Program

Online Allowance

MDiv

88 units

MAT

56 units

MATM

56 units

MAICS

56 units

Transfer credit may impact the number of online courses available for each degree. Please contact the Office of Call Discernment if you have any questions regarding residency, non-residency, and online limits at Fuller at vocation@fuller.edu.

Grade Mode Registration Option

"Grade Mode" refers to the type of grade posted on students’ transcripts after they complete a course. For School of Theology and School of Intercultural Studies master's-level courses, there are two types of grade modes students can elect. The default mode is always "graded," which means students will receive a standard letter grade (e.g. A, A-, B+, etc.). However, students may opt to register pass/fail, which means they will still receive a letter grade from the professor* but their transcripts will show either a "P" for pass or "F" for fail. They must earn a C- or better in a class in order to pass. If they elected the "pass/fail" grade mode at the beginning** of their course and pass, the grade they receive will not affect their grade point average (GPA). But if they fail a course they elected to take "pass/fail," their GPA will be affected.

*Professors do not know whether students take classes in a pass/fail mode unless students opt to tell them. **There are deadlines to change class(es) to or from pass/fail. Please reference the Academic Calendar for specific course deadlines.

Pass/Fail Limits and Deadlines

All degrees: Maximum 25% as pass/fail

Note: Any transfer credit counts against a student’s pass/fail limit and reduces the total amount of pass/fail units allowed for their degree.

General Deadlines

10-week courses: Friday of the first week of the course, no exceptions

5-week courses: Wednesday of the first week of the course, no exceptions

2-week courses: Tuesday of the first week of the course, no exceptions

1-week courses: Monday (first day) of the course, no exceptions

Program Restrictions by School

All students: No pass/fail grade mode is allowed for Directed Study.

School of Intercultural Studies: Students in any SIS master’s program are not permitted to take their degree program core as pass/fail (seminary core courses are excluded in this policy).

School of Theology: Students in any SOT master’s program must follow the below guidelines:

*There are different guidelines for the biblical languages. Connect with vocation@fuller.edu to inquire about pass/fail options for the biblical languages.

**Any SIS or SOP courses taken as pass/fail are counted within the Ministry Division limit.

Quarter System and Workload

Taking Classes in the Quarter System

Fuller Seminary offers classes in a quarter system. A quarter typically consists of 10-week classes with one additional week for finals, totaling 11 weeks. If you are used to a semester system, it may take one or two quarters to adjust your rhythm of study habits. Classes are offered in different formats, and these formats may vary given the academic quarter and campus location. Please email vocation@fuller.edu if you have any concerns about the compatibility between your learning style and the format of a course you desire or need to take.

Workload

As a student, it is very important to find a healthy balance in your life. You can expect to spend 10–21 hours per week on average for a class. The hours will vary depending on the course and your personal learning style. If you plan to work at a job while in school and have family obligations, you will want to consider balancing your course load appropriately. If you work more than 30 hours per week, we recommend that you determine with your supervisor, family, and vocational advisor if either one or two courses is a realistic academic goal. If you work less than 30 hours per week, speak with your vocational advisor about an appropriate course load. A full-time course load is considered three (4-unit) courses per quarter. There may be times when it is just best to take a quarter off from academic study. However, always speak with your vocational advisor to plan for any possible long-term consequences for taking time off school.

Dual Degrees

It is not uncommon for students at Fuller to decide to pursue more than one master's degree. If you plan on joining this courageous group of students, your first step is to contact your vocational advisor, who will help you make an informed decision. In that appointment, you will be able to review the total number of core and elective courses you can expect to take with the two programs you choose to complete. If you then decide to pursue a second degree, your advisor will ensure that there is a smooth transition with your curriculum and student status. The amount of course overlap between the two degrees will always be half of the number of units of the shorter degree (in terms of units).

The most common degree matches by students in dual programs:

MAT and MAICS

MATM and MAICS

MDiv and MAICS

SOT or SIS degree and MFT*

*Students must apply through the Office of Admissions and be admitted separately into the following master's degrees: MAGL, MFT, ThM (any).

Denominational and Chaplaincy Requirements

Many students need denominational courses for ordination, while others simply have an interest to learn more about a particular denomination. For your convenience, we have provided for you a list of courses by denomination to view the class titles at a glance. Fuller provides courses for the following denominations:

UNITED METHODIST

Denominational courses in UM doctrine, UM polity, and UM history must be taken from one of the 13 UM seminaries and/or Asbury Seminary. These courses are also provided by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM). All online courses need to be taken at these 14 seminaries.

Fuller Seminary has Memoranda of Understanding with Claremont School of Theology and United Theological Seminary, Ohio. Students do not need to go through a regular admissions process to enroll in these courses through these two seminaries as long as they are active students at Fuller Seminary.

To graduate from Fuller Seminary’s Pasadena campus, a minimum of 40 units, not including apprenticeships or independent studies, must be taken on the Pasadena campus. Students may take up to 80 units or 2/3 of the MDiv at one of Fuller’s regional campuses, or they may transfer units from an accredited institution. UM students are not permitted to take online courses at Fuller.

Terms of Probation for Students Admitted on Probation

Terms of Probation for Students Admitted as Special Probationary Students

Instructions for Registering for ST511

Students required to take ST511 (Orientation to Theological Studies) may take the course via Moodle.

How do I register for ST511 online?

To register for ST511 in the online format, you must contact the Call Discernment office in Pasadena (626-584-5425 or vocation@fuller.edu) or your vocational advisor.

Your vocational advisor will provide you with your PIN# (required for registration for all students with “special” or “probation” status).

Ask for the CRN (Course Registration Number) you should use for your ST511 course. You can also find CRNs by clicking the “Class Schedules” link located on the Current Students homepage at www.fuller.edu/students. Choose the appropriate quarter and check “Fuller Online” in the “Where?” column to see online course listings. Scroll down to find your ST511 course. Clicking on the course link, you will find the ECD (Expanded Course Description) as well. Here you will find the required reading and other helpful information about the course.

Fuller students register for courses online. Information about accessing your Fuller account are either included in your letter of acceptance or will be provided by your advisor.

Is there a deadline by which I must register?

Yes. You should register no later than the Sunday before the first day of class for the quarter in which you are registering. You may register for ST511 up until 5 pm on Monday, the first day of class; however, this will incur a late registration fee. You may not register for ST511 after Monday, the first day of class.

What happens once I am registered?

The Office of Distance Learning will create your record in the Fuller online system, making you a registered Fuller student in ST511. You will receive an email confirming that you are registered for the online course and have student status in the ST511 course for that quarter.

How do I log on?

To enter the online course, you will go to moodle.fuller.edu and click “login” at the top right of your screen. Your login will be the same login information as your general Fuller account.

When can I begin ST511?

While you cannot enter the actual course until Monday of the academic quarter for which you are registered, we strongly encourage you to obtain the required books as soon as possible. We also suggest that you go through the Student Orientation Tutorial available to you once you log in. Information about browser requirements is found in the tutorial, as well as helpful tips in navigating within the online structure.

How do I begin?

Once you enter Moodle, you can enter into the ST511 class (you may have other online courses to view if you are registered for others).

All the information you need is a click away, on the left side of the page, with general instructions followed by each week’s lesson and specific instructions for that week.

You will be assigned to a study group with whom you will interact, along with your instructor, throughout the quarter. As ST511 is the starting point for the future of your Fuller career, we strongly advise beginning as soon as the course opens on Monday morning (the first day of the quarter).